Bad Medicine
by O'Im Only Joking
Summary: *Ignore the first A/N.* Ste's looking after Brendan after his accident. Brendan needs a bath, and he can't do it by himself, so obviously Ste is his only hope. Crap summary. :/ Hope you read and enjoy. :)


**A/N: I know Brendan and Ste will never be fluffy, but I needed fluff because I have a lot of feels, especially after last week and the week we have coming up. So yeah, this is un-characteristic Stendan, but they are happy, right? So that makes it OK. ;) **

"Are you not gonna eat that, Brendan?"

Now Brendan had an appetite, everyone who knew him knew that, but this was the sixth blackcurrant jam sandwich in a row. Normally that wouldn't faze him, but since he'd been stuck in a wheelchair his appetite wasn't the same; nothing was the same.

Ste sat on the couch crunching on his salt and vinegar crisps and looked at Brendan with worry. "Wan' me to make you summat else?" He spoke with his mouth full.

Brendan just shook his head and tried to calm the warmth in his body at watching Ste eat like he hadn't been fed in months.

"Is Douglas not feeding ye? Brendan asked watching Ste munch on another handful of crisps.

Ste totted and little crumbs flew out of his mouth, he wiped his mouth and took a sip of his tea. "Shur up, I din't have my breakfast, me."

"Have this then," Brendan handed his sandwich over to Ste.

"No, ya know I only like strawberry jam, Brendan. You eat it; ya need to build your strength up, don't you?"

"Stephen!" Brendan scolded lightly, he didn't like been treated like an invalid. "I'm still strong ye know, I'm just having a rest."

Ste giggled, "yeah sure, 'a rest.' You're in a wheelchair Brendan; I think you're forgetting that it was only the other day you had me picking you up off the floor and living with me."

Brendan grunted and rolled his eyes. _Yeah 'cause I needed to be with you to keep you safe, _he thought to himself.

"Thanks for letting me stay." Brendan fidgeted with his fingers, he felt shy and vulnerable, like a small boy asking their crush out on a first date. It felt knew to Brendan, but he knew it was a side he could show to Ste, he knew it was a side Ste loved. Not because he enjoyed seeing him in such a way, but because he knew then there were no games, it was just them two and Brendan trusted Ste enough to show that side to him.

Ste smiled and shrugged his shoulders, "well I weren't just gonna leave ya on the floor, wa' I?"

"Ye know what I mean… letting me stay at yours whilst ye've got Douglas there-"

"Sorry if he said anything," Ste cut in. "You know, that made you leave. 'Cause I know he said something, but you won't tell me and neither will Doug. I didn't want you to go, you know. You could have stayed till you were back on your feet cause I hate seeing you like this right, and I just… well I want you to get better."

Ste breathed, he's said it all in a hurry. Probably said more than he should have, but he meant it. So he smiled at Brendan and finished off his tea. Brendan was giving him that look, _that look _that said so many things.

I know you still care about me. I know you still love me. I know you'd rather be here with me than with Doug. I know you don't want to leave. I know that you know that we know this is where you are supposed to be, even after everything, you can't let go.

Ste shook his head a little, maybe he was being paranoid. He got to his feet and took his empty mug and plate to the sink and put the sandwich in the fridge and washed the mug.

"I better be off me," Ste told him, putting on his coat. "If you need anything just ring me, yeah?"

"Hmm, there is something." Brendan spoke fast; he didn't want Ste to go yet. He needed him there with him for as long as possible.

"What is it?"

"I haven't ye know…been able to shower or anything since I got back and I'm starting to smell," he lifted his arms up to smell underneath and turned his nose up at his own odour "ye wouldn't be able to run me a bath, would ye?"

Ste almost looked shocked.

. .

He breathed in and out evenly and tried to think sensibly. "I gotta get back to the deli, and Doug is waiting-"

"Who else can I ask, eh?" Brendan scratched at his forehead, "Cheryl hates me… there's only you Stephen."

"There's home help," Ste suggested stupidly, _home help?_ Yeah, cause Brendan would love that. And anyway, Ste was supposed to be helping; all he had to do was run him a bath and leave.

"Fine," Brendan held his hands up in defeat. "Sorry for asking, thanks for the sandwiches' and coming by, see ye around Stephen."

Ste bit slightly on his bottom lip. _Childish, grumpy git_ he thought. He watched as Brendan reached the stairs in the wheelchair and stood up gingerly reaching for the hand rail.

Ste sighed and walked to the door, he didn't want to see Brendan suffer alone but after his small strop he had to get out of there.

"Argh fuck!" Brendan cursed, gripping onto his leg for dear life.

Ste turned around sharply, to see Brendan flat on the stairs in pain. He ran to his side quickly, "Brendan this is stupid!"

He was frustrated, but why? At himself, at Brendan? All he knew was Brendan couldn't carry on like this.

He pulled him up to sit on the chair and let him get his breath back.

"Well… if ye'd have stayed… to help… this could have been avoided," Brendan gasped slowly.

"Don't blame me right, it's not my fault you got blown up!"

"Orite, Orite." Brendan closed his eyes and smiled, "ye've got such a mouth on ye Stephen."

Ste swallowed, "no I ain't."

"Whatever ye say, ye going to run me a bath or are we going to just sit here all day?"

-X-

Ste ran the bath for Brendan, he put his favourite bath lotion in – why he remembered he didn't know – and told Brendan to should him when he was done and he would wait downstairs from him.

But Brendan was undressing before he had chance to leave the bathroom. He didn't mean to stare at him as if he was something from _Alien_ but Brendan's body was covered in scratches and bruises.

And then before he had chance to catch his breath, Brendan was discarding his jogging bottom and socks too. There too lied scars and bandages and red burns all across his knees.

But it wasn't just that, Ste thought Brendan's body still looked _perfect, _the hairs on his chest and legs, the tattoo on his chest and arm, his muscles. He was still strong, even the injuries couldn't hide that fact away.

Brendan looked up at Ste. "Everything okay? Do ye want the Full Monty or?"

He tried to lighten the mood, he could tell by the look in Ste's eyes he was disgusted by what he could see. What Ste saw now was a far cry from what he was used to.

Ste gulped, "I wanna stay," he whispered.

He stepped forward and let his arm reach out until his fingers brushed against the fist scar he came across on Brendan's stomach.

Brendan closed his eyes at the touch, it was as if by magic Ste had healed his wounds and he was back to his usual fit self.

"Ye can't," Breathed spoke through gritted teeth.

"Why not?" Ste's fingers carried on their soft glide through Brendan's chest hair.

"Ye know why-"

"It doesn't matter," Ste spoke softly. "Let me help you."

He took another step further, this time their bodies connecting. Ste's breath hovered closer and closer to Brendan's nearest wound, his lips loosening up as he made the final inch closer.

Brendan sucked in a breath as Ste's lips pressed gently against him. Each kiss softer than the last, each kiss lingering after the other.

Ste kicked his shoes off and unzipped his coat. He broke the contact for a mere second to take the rest of his clothes off and carried on soothing Brendan's pain.

"Ye lucky Douglas was there the last time I saw ye half naked…"

"Don't talk about him," Ste looked up through his eyelashes. "Please."

"You're so lucky to be still here, Bren. Do you know that?" Ste continued. He stood up straight and ran his thumb across Brendan's eye.

Brendan nodded, "looks like God was on my side for once."

Brendan carefully brought his arms around Ste hips.

Ste smiled and agreed with a nod, "I'll have to thank him, me."

"Ye an atheist Stephen."

Ste giggled, "I can still thank him!"

Brendan's fingers ran up and down Ste's back soothingly as he carried on talking.

"Even with all these scars and that, you're still proper fit."

"Ye have such a way with words Stephen." Brendan shuffled slightly, "shame my body doesn't feel it, my legs are killing."

Ste sighed sadly and stepped back from Brendan. He could already see the hard on through Brendan's boxers, he smiled and removed them.

He rubbed his own cock against Brendan's slightly and stepped up on his tip toes. With Brendan's eyes closed in satisfaction, Ste kissed his eye lids gently and ran his hands through his hair.

"You do actually smell, ya know," Ste scrunched his face up with a small smile.

"I did tell ye," Brendan whispered.

Ste held on to Brendan's hand has he splashed his other hand through the water. He splashed Brendan in the face and giggled like a little kid about to get chased during kiss catch.

He nodded to the bath. "Get in."

**A/N: OK, so I lied. This wasn't fluff at all. It seems big, bad smut took over instead. :P Hope you enjoyed, reviews are love. (: **


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